The first person a leader must lead is themselves.
You can’t lead yourself without self-discipline. That’s why a leader’s journey begins on the inside.
What self-discipline means for leaders
“The first and best victory is to conquer self.” – Plato
Self-discipline doesn’t automatically make anyone a leader. But without it, no one stays a leader for long.
What self-discipline looks like in practice
First on the pitch, last to leave
Cristiano Ronaldo is known for arriving first at training and leaving last, plus extra workouts. He avoids alcohol, sugar and fast food – and has scored more than 850 career goals, a world record.
An emperor who wrote notes to himself
Marcus Aurelius would rather have studied philosophy, yet in the Marcomannic Wars he led his army in person. In his “Meditations” he kept reminding himself of his duties – and modestly lived what he asked of others.
36 years for one canal
When the first attempt failed, Huang Dafa spent three years studying hydraulic engineering at age 53 instead of giving up. In 1995, 36 years after he began, water finally flowed through nearly 10 km of canal into his village of Caowangba.
What the animation shows
Stragglers are gently but firmly brought back into order.
